My Brother's Keeper
by LuigiWife1551
Summary: Young Raphael learns that it's okay to be afraid...just as long as he knows that he can always protect those he loves.


**Hello everyone! I have returned with yet another brotherly-love one-shot. This one is with young Raphael and Donatello!**

**I hope you all enjoy! And sadly, I own none of the cuteness... **

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><p><strong>My Brother's Keeper<strong>

Eight-year old Raph panted as he forced his chubby legs to move faster.

He didn't seem to care that for once, he had outran Mikey. He didn't care that Leo was threatening to tell Master Splinter that he wasn't sticking with the group.

He couldn't care about that.

He had to find him!

Behind, he could hear the eldest, his eight-year old brother Leonardo calling out to him, telling him to slow down and calm down so that they could figure out how to find him. His youngest brother, eight-year old Michelangelo, who was originally ahead of him, had fallen behind, growing both tired of running, and scared of the sewers.

But Raphael didn't care about that.

He needed to find Donatello. He needed to find his brother.

Thoughts ran though the young tot's mind as he suddenly found hidden stamina he didn't even know he had, and ran down another tunnel path, completely losing both Leo and Mikey.

_'What if something attacked him? What is that crocodile got him? Or...or what if...a human...?'_

Human. The very thought made the usually tough Raphael shudder. He knew that he wasn't supposed to go topside, or wander too far from the lair.

He knew because his wise father told him so, and he listened. He didn't like humans, and he would _hate _ them if something happened to his family.

_'Donny? Donny, where are you?' _he frantically thought as he made a left down another tunnel. He stopped at the sound of water rushing, and he guessed that he was somewhere else entirely. He couldn't be near the lair at all, and wondered just how he had gotten there.

Looking around, he tried to figure out where he had ran to. In all the times Master Splinter let them run free, he had never been near a tunnel that had water nearby.

That wasn't good. Despite the fact Donatello was a turtle...he hadn't learned to swim yet. And if he was hurt...

Shaking his head, Raph continued his search for Donatello. He ran into the water, diving in so he could swim to the other side of the sewer.

"DONNY!" he screamed, waving his flashlight around the extremely dark and dank tunnel.

He was glad Leo wasn't here, because Raphael was petrified out of his mind. He had no clue where he was, and he had long since lost track of his brothers. He wanted to turn around and run back to the lair, but something told him to stay and look around.

And stay and look around, he did.

"D-Donny...? Are you here, bro? Donny!" Raph tried again, his chubby legs already ankle-deep in nasty sewer water. He was starting to get cold, and he was about to pass out when he heard something.

It sounded like a tiny spalsh. He went completely still, slowing down his breathing and covering his flashlight. His heart raced so fast it felt like it would burst.

Straining to listen to whatever it was, he asked himself so many questions.

Was a human here? Was it a crocodile? Did he have Donny? Was he next?

"H-Help..."

Raph blinked, making sure that he heard a little cry instead of deluding himself.

"S-Some...one...please help me..." the little voice called out again. It was followed by more tiny splashes.

Raphael slowly moved his slightly trembling hand from the beam of light, then shined it toward the sound of the little whimper, inching a bit more closer. He was becoming more aware of the cold water that surrounded his ankles, and he felt extremely tired.

_'Why...why do I feel...so sleepy...?' _he asked himself.

Regardless, he responded back to the cry, hoping that was his missing younger brother...and hoping that he wasn't hurt.

"H-Hello? Who's there?" Raph asked, his voice clearly shaking. He moved the beam left and right, back and forth a few times, until Raph finally noticed something.

He was sure he was going blind. He had to be.

_'T-The...water...' _

The water...had a red tint to it.

A very deep red tint.

That wasn't good at all.

"Hello? Donny? Answer me, Donny! It's Raphael!" he called again, scared when he didn't even hear splashes coming toward him.

Begging to high heaven that this was some dead sewer monster, Raph swallowed his fear and followed the trail.

And at the sight, he nearly threw up.

"Donny...? Donny!"

Now sure it was his missing brother, Raph ran toward him, the bright red water sloshing about as he made his way to him. Not even the numbing feelings of the freezing cold water could stop him.

He saw the water turning more and more red, and he knew Donny was badly hurt.

Stopping for a moment to catch some air, he heard a larger splash than before, and shone his flashlight straight ahead.

Laying on his side in the water was his missing brother, Donatello.

"Donny..."

Raph was finding it more and more hard to keep awake, but he had to, and he knew it. Forcing himself onward, he reached his semi-unconscious brother.

"Donny...? Please wake up..." Raph called, his voice failing him. He was scared.

Was he dead?

Raph reached out to touch him, and sighed when he heard a soft moan coming from Donny.

"R...Raph..."

Raph knew that he had to get them to dry land, and fast. He was losing energy, and Donny was starting to shiver pretty badly.

Placing the flashlight in his mouth, Raph gently managed to pick his younger brother up, and carry him almost bridal-style as he began to walk through the blood-colored water.

It took a lot longer than it should have to get out. All the tiredness Raph felt had him walking in circles at times, and trying to keep the flashlight and his brother out of the water was hard.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Raph got them back to land, at least, a piece of it. There wasn't much, just enough for the two eight year olds to rest.

While Raph was glad about that part, he realized that he had a bigger problem.

In order to get back to the tunnels that would lead them home, Raph had to swim to the other side of the sewer. And he didn't think he could make it, especially with Donny injured like he was.

_'What should...I do...? I...I need to find...the others, but...Donny...'_

But that in itself was risky. He did not want to leave Donny laying on a dirty, damp piece of pavement, and wondered if maybe he could swim with Donny. He looked down at the river.

When Raph looked at the water level, he knew. There was no way.

The water had risen during the minutes he had spent looking for Donny, and it had gotten too deep for him to carry Donny over. Raph could make it, but he'd have to leave his brother behind...

_'No. No, I'm not gonna leave him here!'_

"Raphie..."

Raph looked down at the sound of his brother's weak voice. Thanks to the little light he had from his burning out flashlight, and some light that came from the area of sewer he was in, he was finally able to see how badly hurt Donny was.

He shone the light on his little brother, and his amber eyes grew wider than ever.

Donny was hurt beyond badly. And Raph knew, especially for an eight-year old tot...he shouldn't be alive.

Something had been thrust into Donny's side, and there was a lot of blood being lost. Raph had no idea how Donny was even able to stand, let alone walk as much as he did.

"Oh...Donny..."

Raph needed to get him home _now. _ But if he tried to swim with Donny like this, one of them would most certainly drown.

And if he left him here...he might die...

"What do I do...? I don't know what to do!" Raph cried. Tears ran down his red mask, and landed on his purple-clad brother's chubby face.

"Ra...Raphie...l-listen..." Donny whispered.

Through his tears, Raph saw his brother struggle to tell him something, and he was about to tell him not to speak. He knew that his brother needed the energy.

"...gotta...go get Leo...a-and...Mikey..."

Raph shook his head. "No, Donny. I'm not leaving you here!"

Donny smiled. "You have to..."

"I'm not gonna leave you, okay?"

Donny chuckled weakly, letting his eyes fall closed. That little bit of talking already ate up all his energy.

"You...idiot..."

But Raph didn't say anything to that. He had been thinking about how to get his brother and himself safely across the water. And the one opition he didn't want to use came to his young mind.

"Donny?"

The younger's eyes opened slightly.

"Do you...do you think you can stand?" Raph quietly asked.

Extremely tired, Donny nodded, and pitifully stood on legs than almost gave way. He let out a strangled yelp, and Raph winced at the torture he was putting his eight year old brother through. But he had to do it.

"Y-You okay, Donny?" Raph stuttered, his arms wrapping about his brother's shaking body. It was starting to get even colder now...

Donny coughed. He was freezing cold, and his head felt light. He felt sick to his stomach, and wanted to pass out altogether. But he managed to stay upright, thanks to Raph.

"Here. I want you...to climb on my back, okay?" Raph said, turning around in front of Donny so that he could do that.

Once he felt Donny on his back, he mumbled to him, "And hang on tight."

Donny nodded, his arms wrapping his arms about his brother's neck, pressing his face into his shoulder. He felt so good...when had Raph felt this warm...?

Can he...maybe he...he can sleep a little...?

"Raphie...can...can I...go to sleep..." Donny murmured, eyes quickly drifting closed.

"No, little bro. You gotta stay awake...cause I'm going underwater, okay? You...you gotta remember to breathe for me...and don't let go, alright?" Raph explained to his semi-conscious brother.

While Donny heard him, and he nodded, he barely filtered anything that he had said except 'breathe.'

Breathe...he wants him to breathe...well, he can do that...but he can sleep, too...

"Okay. Hang on."

Donny felt Raph walking, almost staggering toward something, and then, he heard the sound of water. He wasn't sure what was going on...until he felt water surrounding him.

He almost panicked, and closed his eyes tight. Why was Raph heading in here?

It was so cold, and he felt even more tired than before...yeah, it was getting so very cold now...

_'Raphie...I-I can't...stay...awake...'_

The last thing the tot remembered was hearing Raph screaming...he was screaming at him to do...something...but it was cold...and he couldn't stay awake anymore...and he hurt more, too...a lot more than before...

_'I'm sorry...'_

Raph manged to hold onto Donny as he made his way across the water as fast as he could. He knew this would be bad. Not only had Donny fallen unconscious again, but he seemed to be losing more blood!

Raph had to stop because he was getting too worn out. He felt that he would collapse at any moment, but he knew better.

He had to keep going...for Donny...

Forcing himself and Donny up, he began to head down the tunnels that would finally lead them home. He had lost the flashlight awhile back, but now that he was in familiar territory, he felt more confident, and didn't need it.

"Leo! Guys, Master Splinter!" he yelled as he could see the faint light of his home nearing him. Donny was starting to twitch...he had to hurry!

Raph ran until he ran into the lair. He was out of breath, his legs hurt, his head hurt, his throat hurt. Everything pretty much hurt right about now, and he felt so lightheaded...

"My sons! Raphael, Donatello!"

Raph didn't know what had happened afterward. The minute he felt his father take his little brother of his back, the red-clad eight year old simply passed out. He was beyond sore and tired, not to mention scared out of his mind.

_'Donny, you gotta make it, okay? For us...you gotta make it for us...'_

Naturally, Splinter wanted to know what happened to his intelligent young son and his hotheaded young son. He was about to ask Raph, when he heard a thud and saw the red-clad young ninja on the ground.

"Leonardo, get Raphael in the room, and make sure he is covered. Michelangelo, come with me. We will take care of Donatello." Master Splinter instructed once the other two had appeared.

Both boys nodded, and off they went.

Leo was able to half-carry, half-drag his heavier immediate to the bedroom the four young ninja shared. He was breathing deathly slow, and Leo was getting worried.

"Raph...Raphie, can you hear me?" Leo tentatively called, tapping the latter's cheek.

Raph moaned, and tried to twist his head away from his attacker. He wanted to sleep right now...and some covers would be nice, too...

Leo sighed when he heard Raph's breathing return to normal, and went about doing as their father instructed. As he did, he checked to make sure there was no cuts and brusies on him.

Except for a water-soaked mask and a few bruises, Raph was fine. He was just cold.

"Sleep well, Raphie. I'm staying right here, 'kay?" Leo quietly told him, draping the thick blanket over his slumbering brother's body. Raph mumbled something in response.

While Raph would be okay after some food, a hot shower and a lot of rest, Donny was a different story.

Master Splinter had let the intelligent young ninja out for a few hours to go do some exploring. He knew Donny wouldn't wander off like his temperamental son...so how had he ended up so far away, and so injured?

There was only one bad wound-a deep gash that had ran up and down on Donny's side. But he'd lost a lot of blood, and Master Splinter had to consider the fact that he was in freezing cold water for some time...

Master Splinter got Donny on their worn-out couch, and the next few minutes were a blur of sorts. Mikey, who was completely lost to what had happened, but scared when he saw Donny's barely moving frame, ran around their little lair, trying to grab whatever his father asked him to get.

Splinter didn't know too much about infections, but he knew he needed to clean that wound-and fast. And for the next hour or so, that was just what he did. Several times, however, Mikey had to hold him down to prevent him from thrashing and hurting himself even more. Those things that he was using was straight torture!

"I am sorry, my son. But you must hang on, alright?" Master Splinter murmurer, hoping that he would at least register his voice and calm himself down.

Finally, the duo manged to wrap Donny's wound, and had covered him with a thick blanket as well. He had long since fallen asleep.

"Michelangelo, why don't you get some rest? It has been quite chaotic, and you seem worried."

Mikey nodded, still fearing for Donny's life. "O-Okay Master Splinter..."

He prodded off to the room where his two older brothers were, and it was there that he finally got himself some rest.

Master Splinter pulled up an old chair near Donny and sat down, keeping a wise and worrisome eye on his second youngest son and listening out for the second oldest.

"Rest now, my son. You need it." he whispered to the still unconscious Donatello.

He sighed as he settled in for the long night. He'd done the best he could do. Now all they could do was hope Donatello would make it through the night, and Raphael wouldn't end up in a similar situation.

But over the next few nights, the situation seemed to be going well.

Raphael had finally woken up after sleeping for almost three days straight. During that time, he had developed a fever from that extremely cold water, but was fighting that back faster than their father had expected. He was also able to tell his father and the other two boys what had happened that night...at least, what he could figure out.

Master Splinter had nothing to worry about when it came to Raph. But it was Donatello that had everyone's concern rising.

The water that he had sat in while injured had gotten him massively sick. His temperature had risen to over 100 degrees and he could hardly keep food or drink down, making him dehydrated. His body was in extreme pain; it hurt whenever people touched him, and he was so weak he couldn't even sit up.

Master Splinter feared that his wound night have gotten infected, but that was about the only good news he seemed to have.

The wound _was_ healing well...Donny just had some terrible side effects.

One night, while the others were eating dinner, Raph went to visit his ill brother.

"Donny?" he called.

Donny could barely talk, but nodded instead, acknowledging that he had heard him.

Raph felt guilty because he knew leaping in that water was the reason why his younger brother was suffering all over again.

"I'm sorry, bro. I didn't...I didn't mean for this to happen..." Raph softly and sadly said, his hand reaching out to touch his hand.

Donny turned his head slightly as his brother talked to him. He opened his eyes, and looking up in his face, smiled.

"I-It's...okay. I'll be alright, Raphie." he muttered. Raph winced inwardly at how horrible his voice sounded.

"I'm staying here until you get better, okay?" Raph said, sitting down next to Donny.

Donny got worried that he night catch...whatever sickness he had, and was about to tell him, when he had yet another coughing fit.

Raph helped sit him up, and grabbed some tissues that were nearby. "Here, bro. That's it...get it out of you."

Donny coughed until he felt too exhausted to sit up. Raph laid Donny on his lap as he wrapped up the used tissues with disgust and threw it away.

"You feel a bit better?" Raph asked as he felt Donny let out a sigh.

"Y-Yeah...thanks..."

Raph smiled. "No problem, bro."

Donny was starting to feel tired yet again, but he didn't want his pillow to move. And Raph didn't plan on it. He pulled up the covers around Donny, who let out another quiet sigh and mumbled thanks.

"You're gonna be fine, Donny. But you need to rest. Master Splinter said so." he said, mimicking Leo's tone. Donny laughed weakly.

"Y-you...you're right..." he said tiredly, his eyes already closed.

Raph looked at the doorway, and saw his father standing there, holding what he assumed to be Donny's medicine. He could hear Leo and Mikey in the living room.

"Raphael, why are you still up?" he asked as he entered the room.

Smiling sheepishly at his father, Raph said, "B-Because...I wanted to stay with Donny. It's my fault that he's this sick, anyway."

Master Splinter set the medicine down, making a mental note to give it to him later on, when he woke up again. "No it is not. You saved your brother that night, Raphael. And I believe Donatello knows that as well."

He patted Raph's head. "He has two older brothers to take care of him. He knows you would never hurt him, or let anyone or anything else do the same. "

Master Splinter looked at Donny. "You and Leo will defend him and Michelangelo, Raphael. It's how you are. Do you understand?"

Raph nodded, large amber eyes sparkling with pride at his father's words. "Yes...I think I do."

Just then, poor Donny let out a powerful sneeze, followed by a whimper. Master Splinter chuckled, and just as he reached for the box of tissues to clean the mucus of Raph's leg and Donny's face, Raph shook his head, grabbed some, and gently sat his tired brother up.

"Ugh...R-Raphie, h-huh...I too tired..." he grumbled as Raph cleaned his face.

"Yeah, I know, boogerface. Let me clean ya first." Raph said, chuckling. Master Splinter looked at his second oldest.

"Will you be alright for now, Raphael? He must take his medicine soon, you know."

Raph looked at his young father and smirked. "Master, I am eight years old. I think I can handle my little brother." he said confidently.

Master Splinter laughed. "As you are, my son! Alright then, I shall be in my room if you need anything."

Raph bowed his head a little as his father walked out. Looking back at Donny, he found the sick little tot already fast asleep, his box of tissues tucked under him.

_'He's gonna need more of those things soon...'_

Raph stretched his unoccupied leg out so he could be more comfortable, and leaned back against his pillow, looking up at the ceiling for a while.

He wondered if that was true, what his father said. He couldn't believe how scared he had been that night, and he had a feeling Donny was, too.

_'If someone's always that scared...could they be a defender? I mean, I'm scared of fighting sometimes, and Leo's scared of heights...so how are we defenders?' _he asked himself.

"Am I really that strong?"

His chubby hand rested on the back of his ill brother's shell, and he smiled. Whatever doubts showed in his mind were quickly erased.

"Yeah...I am. No matter how afraid I am, how afraid any of us are, we have to fight._ I_ have to be able to fight."

He nodded, a new resolve surging through his mind.

_'Someday, when I get older...I'll train, just like Master said. I'll ask him to train me to be like him. That way, I'll be strong...and I'll protect my family.'_

Letting that thought fill his dreams for the night, Raph finally closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

_'I'll be able to protect my brothers and my father. Just watch me.'_

**END**


End file.
